A Deluding Mask
by Scilla E
Summary: Karah Adam's life suddenly changes for the worse and she now has an almost impossible task to bear. One day, she sees Bruce Wayne again after several years. Could he be the one to bring happiness into her life again, or will he be her downfall?
1. Chapter 1

Karah Adams had left late at night from a dinner party with her friends. Just as she was driving down a desolate street, her car stopped. _What the hell?_ she had thought to herself as she climbed out of her car and checked the hood. Sure enough, her car was busted and she wouldn't be able to drive the rest of the way home. Karah reached into her car and packed all of her belongings into her purse, making sure to bring along the pepper spray she kept in her glove compartment. After retrieving her keys from the ignition, Karah made her way through the caliginous streets of Gotham City.

About a few blocks away from her home, Karah started to feel a bit paranoid. She turned around a few times before she quickened her pace. Once she was just one block away from her home, she heard multiple footsteps walking in sync from far behind. Karah casually turned her head about, trying to take a good look at whoever was following her. All she managed to see was two broad figures veiled by the darkness of the night about twenty feet away from her. Karah instantly reached into her purse and grasped her pepper spray, armed and ready for an assault. But it seemed unnecessary as she finally reached her house and slowly exhaled with relief. In just a few seconds, she'd be safe inside her house and away from any creeps that roamed the streets of Gotham City.

Karah quickly took out her keys and unlocked the door, afraid that the two men who seemed to be following her would come closer. She waited no longer as she locked the door behind her and hung her coat on the hanger beside the front door.

"Mom? Dad?" She called out as she walked up the stairs. No one had answered her calls so she made her way towards her parents' bedroom. She attempted to call them once more, but all she managed to let out was a gasp. The scene that lay before her made Karah feel faint and extremely nauseous at the sight. Her parents' bodies were sprawled out on their bedroom floor accompanied by a pool of blood. Karah's hand instantly cupped over her mouth as tears welled up in her gentle, sapphire eyes. Her mother and her father, the ones who had been her supporters her whole life, lay lifeless before her.

"God, no!" Karah cried out as she was about to throw herself by her parents' side, but was held back by a pair of brawny arms roughly wrapping around her small waist. Karah whipped around to come face to face with a pair of cold, green eyes adorned by a gruesome scar.

"Oh, how tragic. Really, Karah. I do sympathize," Karah turned back around only to see the most wanted crime lord in Gotham City, Carmine Falcone, himself standing beside her parents, "But I had some business to deal with. Your parents simply got in my way."

"You killed my parents, you bastard!" Karah viciously spat, struggling to break free from the strong grip the man had on her.

"You're a big girl. You'll get over it. But in the mean time..." Falcone moved closer to Karah's contending figure, making sure to keep a safe distance from her violent struggles. He raised his hand and with a snap of his fingers, a sharp blade was placed on Karah's neck, keeping her from moving so much. Once Karah stayed still, Falcone placed his rough hand under her chin and slightly raised her head. He came closer to her ear and said, "I need you to do something for me. You must concede my request... unless you want the ones you love to end up like your dear parents. And trust me, Ms. Adams. I will do what I have to and it certainly won't be to your liking."

Falcone backed away enough to see Karah's expression. Pure hatred filled her usually calm, oceanic eyes. She heavily breathed in and out as if trying to control herself from ripping Falcone's head off in an instant. She quickly glanced over to her parents on the floor before turning back to Falcone and acidly asking, "What the fuck do you want, Falcone?"

"Now, now, dear. You wouldn't want to upset me," Falcone calmly answered with a sly smile, "What I ask is simply this. I want you to kill Batman." At hearing this, Karah answered incredulously, "Are you kidding me? Not even your men can manage to leave a scratch on him. Now you want me to KILL him?"

"I am not underestimating you, Ms. Adams. You should be grateful."

"Grateful my ass!" Karah retorted. This angered Falcone as he yelled in her face, "Enough! Now I know you are trained in fighting. I've certainly seen you take down three of my men myself. You do remember that night don't you?"

Falcone paused and waited for another angry reply from Karah, but she just coldly kept her gaze on him. So he continued, "You have much more skill than many of my men. I must admit you are incredibly strong seeing as you are such a fragile being. Do what I say and your loved ones will be out of harm's way. At least on my part. Do we have an understanding?"

Karah stared long and hard at Falcone's diabolical face, worn out from years of his dirty work. Falcone impatiently waited and loudly yelled again, "DO WE HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING?"

Karah had no other choice and reluctantly nodded. A smile of satisfaction instantly took over Falcone's features as he walked out of the room and Karah was forcefully thrown on the floor. She was left all alone to mourn over her dead parents. Still sobbing quietly, Karah wet a towel and wiped away any blood on her parent's face. She pulled off a white sheet on their bed and covered their corpses before walking over to the phone and barely managing to call the police. Once the police and the ambulance came to take the bodies, Officer Jim Gordon found Karah's frail body silently crying in a corner of her room.

"I'm really sorry, sweetheart. But do you have any idea who did this?" He asked as he crouched down to Karah's level and gently lifted her chin with his hand. Karah stared at his concerned face with her red, puffy eyes before shaking her head. She knew if she had said it was Falcone, something worse would take place.

Karah decided it was too painful to stay the night in the house formerly occupied by her loving parents. So she called her best friend, Marilee, to see if she could stay with her for awhile. Marilee took her in with open arms and tried to comfort her as much as she could, but Karah preferred to be alone. She stayed up the whole night in bed with only one thing haunting her mind... how to kill Batman.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note**: I've noticed a few of my readers have already added this story to their favorites/alerts which makes me happy! Although I have to say some feedback would be greatly appreciated. I get rather hesitant about my stories and I'd like to know what you guys like or dislike. But anyway, without further ado here's chapter two! (Ha, that rhymed!)

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><p><strong>Chapter Two<strong>

"It's time to rise and shine, Master Bruce." Alfred Pennyworth, Bruce Wayne's butler, said as he opened up the curtains formerly shielding the sunlight. Bruce groaned into his pillow and tiredly arose from his grand bed. He stood on his tip-toes as he let himself fall to the floor and commenced his daily push-ups. Once Bruce was done, Alfred stood by him and handed him the newspaper, "You should read the paper, Master Bruce. I'm afraid it's not good news."

"What is it now?" Bruce sighed as he took the newspaper from Alfred. Grief overtook Bruce as he looked over the headline news. Mr. and Mrs. Daryl Adams were shot to death last night and were found on their bedroom floor by their daughter, Karah Adams. The Adams were close friends of his parents and now they too were killed. Bruce felt pity for Karah. His parents had also been shot when he was just a boy. They had been coming out of an opera theater when they were assaulted and shot by a homeless man named Joe Chill.

"They were good people just like your parents, Master Bruce. It is a great pity that such people are dead." Alfred commented sympathetically. Bruce ran a hand through his dark hair and placed the newspaper beside him. He took a shower and dressed quickly as he came down the stairs and yelled to Alfred, "I'm going to the Adams' house to see if I can talk to Karah. I'll be back soon!"

Karah silently sat up in bed as the sun's bright rays shone through her window. Marilee was most likely still asleep, unlike Karah who barely managed to sleep for two hours at the most. She had been up all night thinking about everything that had recently happened. To think that just the past morning, she had woken up in her own bed and hugged her parents goodbye. And now, Carmine Falcone expected her to take down Gotham City's newest hero, Batman. She knew this wouldn't be an easy mission at all and she wasn't even sure she wanted to accomplish it. She would most likely prefer to have Batman end her life than finishing with him and giving Falcone a chance to destroy the already decaying Gotham City. She looked around the room and realized she left all her things back at her house. Although it pained her to do so, she knew she had to go back and collect what she could. She quietly made her way to Marilee's bedroom and browsed her closet for something to wear. She settled for a simple sweater and a pair of pants before she walked out of the house.

Bruce Wayne looked down at the pocket-sized notebook he held in his hands as he read the address over again. He looked up at the house before him and walked towards the door. He knocked on it a few times and waited for someone to hopefully open the door. He knocked again and called out, "Hello? Is anyone here?"

"Are you looking for me?" Bruce spun around and saw a stunning young woman patiently standing at the bottom of the steps. She had deep, blue eyes and long, sleek black hair carefully pulled back into a ponytail. She had a gorgeous face yet she seemed extremely tired and worn out. No doubt due to her parents' recent death. Bruce rushed down the small steps and outstretched his hand. The young woman placed her small hand in his. Bruce smiled, "Karah?"

"Yes." She answered softly. Bruce gently let go of her hand and introduced himself, "Hi, I'm-"

"Bruce Wayne. I know." Karah interrupted. It was hardly possible that a resident of Gotham City couldn't recognize the millionaire heir to Wayne Enterprises. Bruce softly chuckled and said, "I just wanted to see how you were. I'm terribly sorry about your parents. I'm aware that your parents and mine were good friends."

"Thank you. I remember you though. We met once a long time ago when your parents had invited my family over for dinner." Karah smiled warmly back at Bruce. His face brought back memories of her parents. Bruce glanced back at the house and asked, "So are you still staying here?"

"Actually, I'm staying with a friend. It's kind of hard for me to stay here, you know. I just came back to get some stuff."

"I can help you take your things to your friend's place if you want," Bruce kindly offered. Something about Karah made him want to help her out as much as he could. She gratefully nodded as she said, "Thanks. That would be a great help."

Bruce walked into the house behind Karah and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder as he noticed her hesitate when she looked around her desolate home. He helped her pack her belongings into boxes and carried them to his car. He drove to Marilee's house according to Karah's directions and lugged two boxes into her room as Karah carried one surprisingly with ease.

Karah looked into Marilee's room and noticed her sleeping figure still curled up under the sheets. She motioned for Bruce to be quiet and place the boxes down by her bed. Once they finished, she led him to the door and thanked him. Bruce hesitated for a second before reaching over to hug Karah comfortingly. Karah was surprised at first, but returned the hug with as much warmth and care.

"Bye, Bruce. Thank you so much for the help."

"You're welcome. Just feel better, okay?" Bruce smiled as Karah nodded. When he finally left, Karah closed the door and slumped on the floor. She was overwhelmed by everything that had been happening. The whole Batman situation was always at the back of her mind. Yet when she was with Bruce, it was as if though everything was fine and she felt calm. She walked back to her room and let herself fall back into bed as an image of Bruce Wayne's handsome face appeared in her mind.


End file.
